LOS ANGELES--Aside from Halo 4, the most interesting thing at Microsoft's E3 press conference was SmartGlass, the multidevice sharing app for games, videos, and Web surfing. But SmartGlass was only sketched out in the broadest of terms (and probably very carefully chosen ones at that), so we're left with several burning questions, especially about how it will work with Windows 8.

What devices will it actually work on? Microsoft says "all your devices." Does that mean all your Windows devices, or are Android and iOS included? (Update: We're hearing now that iOS and Android are included.)

Is it a downloaded app or Web-based? Will SmartGlass be a standalone app or an HTML 5-based Web service? Or some combination of the two depending on what platform you're on? Windows 8 tablets seem to be included, but are Windows RT tablets?

How many movies and TV shows will include second-screen content? We saw Game of Thrones get maps and trivia, but how far down the most-popular list will it go? So far Xbox Video and HBO Go are in, but what about other video services such as Netflix?

What sort of game integration is included? We saw a Halo 4 player looking at maps and accepting a multiplayer request, but that's a far cry from being to play simultaneously on PCs and consoles -- something that has only been tried a handful of times before.

Will SmartGlass compete with the Wii U GamePad? Both offer second-screen functionality for game consoles. The Wii version seems more tied into active gameplay, while SmartGlass feels more like a companion device. How much overlap will there be?

Those are the first SmartGlass questions that come to mind, although we're unlikely to find too many of the answers during the rest of E3 2012. What questions do you have? Post them in the comments below.

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Dan Ackerman leads CNET's coverage of laptops, desktops, and Windows tablets, while also writing about games, gadgets, and other topics. A former radio DJ and member of Mensa, he's written about music and technology for more than 15 years, appearing in publications including Spin, Blender, and Men's Journal.
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